Surprises are overrated

by Brian Berry, Simply Youth Ministry
Some surprises are fun. An unexpected birthday bash with your best friends. Christmas presents. The prize winning bottle cap from a Snapple Contest. A Willy Wonka golden ticket. Your boss gives you a raise because you are doing such a great job at the church. (In that case, it would be a miracle.) While all of these surprises are very cool, they are also very rare. But over my years as a youth pastor, I’ve come to realize that most of the surprises youth pastors experience in ministry are not this much fun. more...

Some useful advice here on how do avoid unwelcome "surprises" and how to minimum the damage when they occur.